Sound amplifying apparatus



Feb. 17,1970 R. BRUMBERGER 3,495,297

- SOUND AMPLIFYING APPARATUS Filed March 14, 1966 I Q INVENTOR. 52

52 RICHARD BRUMBERGER bee 3' 60 WW ATTORNEYS United States Patent M3,496,297 SOUND AMPLIFYING APPARATUS Richard Brumberger, Lawrence, N.Y.,assignor to Brumberger Company, Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation ofNew York Filed Mar. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 534,105

, Int. Cl. H04m 1/02 U.S. Cl. 1791 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apick-up assembly comprising a housing defined by cover and mountingplates, both cover and mounting plates having a plurality of alignedapertures and said cover plate having a dome defining a recess. Apick-up head, disposed within the housing comprises a top plate adaptedfor reception Within the recess and a bottom plate disposed within andextending through an aperture in the housing mounting plate. Suctioncups are used to attach the pick-up device and are constructed to enableits head to be snap-fitted into and through the apertures in themounting plate.

The present invention pertains, generally, to sound amplifyingapparatus, and more particularly, to a sound amplifying apparatus andsystem that is particularly adapted for use with such devices as musicalinstruments, and the like.

Accordingly, it will be understood that a primary object of the presentinvention is to provide 'a sound amplifying system and apparatus that isconstructed and arranged to be economical of fabrication, capable ofmanufacture of a minimal number of parts, capable of being assembledwith facility, capable of being readily and easily utilized, while yetbeing sturdy, durable, and presenting a long, useful life.

Another primary object of this invention, in addition to the foregoingobjects, is to provide sound amplifying apparatus that is constructedand arranged to enable substantially any individual, young or old alike,to readily utilize the same with facility while yet being unusuallyefficient and capable of high fidelity.

Yet another primary object of the present invention, in addition to theforegoing objects, is to provide sound amplifying apparatus that isparticularly adapted for use with musical instruments, for example,guitars, and the like, and is constructed and arranged to be capable ofoperative association therewith with facility, and is furtherconstructed and arranged to present a high degree of fidelity.

A further primary object of this invention, in addition to the foregoingobjects, is to provide sound amplifying apparatus that is constructedand arranged to be particularly adapted for use with amateur orprofessional musical instruments, for example, guitars, and the like, isfurther constructed and arranged to present a high degree of fidelitywhile yet being fabricated in a simple manner of a minimal number ofparts or components, "and is further constructed and arranged to becapable of use in the simplest possible manner.

Other objects and important features of the invention will be apparentfrom a study of the specification follow ing taken with the drawing,which together, show, illustrate, describe and disclose a preferredembodiment of the invention and what is now considered to be the bestmode of practicing the principles thereof, Other embodiments andmodifications may be suggested to those having the benefit of theteachings herein, and such other embodiments or modifications areintended to be re- 3,496,297 Patented Feb. 17, 1970 served especially asthey fall within the scope and spirit of the subjoined claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of sound amplifying apparatus constructedin accordance with the principles of the present invention, illustratingthe same in operative association with a musical instrument;

FIG. 1A is a cross section taken along the line 1A- 1A of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view illustrating the parts comprising one of thecomponents of the sound amplifying apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of one of the parts of the components shown inFIG. 2.

With reference now to the drawings, and particularly at first withreference to FIG. 1, there is illustrated therein sound amplifyingapparatus generally designated by the reference character 10 illustratedas being disposed in operative association with a musical instrument 12,such as a guitar, for example, or the like. It will be understood at theoutset that the musical instrument or guitar 12 is illustrated forexemplary purposes only, and that the sound amplifying apparatus 10 canbe utilized with other musical instruments, or for that matter with anydevice in connection with which it is desired to amplify the soundemanating therefrom. Accordingly, illustration of a guitar is intendedby way of example only, and is not in any way intended to be limiting.

The sound amplifying apparatus 10 comprises a sound detector or pick-up14 and an amplifier 16. With particular reference now to FIGS. 2 and 3,the sound detector or pick-up 14 will be seen to comprise a housingthat, in turn, comprises a cover plate 18 and a housing or mountingplate 20. At this point, it will be understood that, in FIG. 2, certainof the parts comprising the sound detector or pick-up 14 are onlypartially shown since they are symmetrical in configuration andconstruction.

The cover plate 18 comprises a dome 22 that is generally of tapering orconical configuration to define a recess 24 for a purpose presently tobe described. A plurality of apertures 26 extend through the cover 18for a purpose that will also be set forth hereinafter.

The housing or mounting plate 20 comprises an aperture 28, and aplurality of apertures 30 that correspond in number that are adapted tobe disposed in alignment with the apertures 26 extending through thecover 18. To distinguish between the aperture 28, and the apertures 26and 30, the latter will be denoted as mounting apertures, While theformer will be denoted as a pick-up head aperture. Still further, thehousing or mounting plate 20 comprises mounting aperatures 32, and todistinguish between these and the mounting apertures 30, the latter willbe denoted as cover plate mounting apertures.

The sound detector or pick-up 14 further comprises a pick-up head 34.The pick-up head may be of any suitable and conventional construction,and for example may be an alnico pick-up. The pick-up 34 is particularlyadapted to be disposed within the tapered or conical recess 24 in thecover 18, and to be disposed within and extend through the pick-up headaperture 28 in the housing or mounting plate 20.

As pointed out above, the pick-up head 34 may be of any suitable andconventional construction. However, the shape or configuration of thehead, and its positional and dimensional relationship with respect tothe housing comprising the cover 18 and the mounting plate 20 is ofimportance. Thus, the head 34 comprises a top plate 36 and a bottomplate 38, the latter in turn comprising apertures 39 to provide a meansfor transmitting the sound emanating from the instrument or guitar 12.The top plate 36 is of tapering or conical configuration, correspondinggenerally with the shape or configuration of the dome 22, enabling thehead 34 to be received Within the recess 24. The top plate 36 comprisesa projection 40 adapted to be disposed substantially in abuttingengagement with the roof of the dome 22. In this manner, a space will bedefined between the walls of the dome 22 and that of the top plate 36,enabling a conductor 42 comprising a plurality of leads 44 and 46 toextend therealong and outwardly of the sound detector or pick-up 14. Tothis end, the cover 18 comp-rises a peripheral lip or ledge 48 having agroove 50 through which the conductor 42 extends. One of the leads 44 isadapted to be connected to the projection 40, and the other lead 46connected to the top plate 36 of the head 34 in any suitable manner, inOrder to provide a complete electrical circuit, as will hereinafter beexplained.

The bottom plate 38 of the head 34 is generally of cylindricalconfiguration and, as pointed out above, is paritcularly adapted toextend through and be disposed within the pick-up head mounting aperture28.

The sound detector or pick-up 14 is particularly adapted to be removablyoperatively associated with the musical instrument or guitar 12, asparticularly illus trated in FIG. 1. To this end, the pick-up 14 furthercomprises a plurality of attaching elements 52. The elements 52preferably take the form of grommets or suction cups having a head 54defining a groove 56 with the body of the grommet or cup. The grommetsor cups preferably are fabricated of a material that is both flexibleand resilient, such as rubber, or the like, enabling the heads 54 to bepress-fitted into the apertures 32 of the mounting plate 20, and snappedtherepast. It Will be understood that the diameter of the apertures 32is substantially the same as that of the grooves 56, and that thediameter of the heads 54 is somewhat larger. Accordingly, the grommetsor suction cups 52, when assembled relative to the plate 20, will befirmly but removably held in position with respect thereto. To furtherensure this relationship between the grommets and the plate 20, thepick-up 14 further comprises a plurality of collars 58 of semi-circularconfiguration. After the grommets or suction cups 52 have been insertedinto and through the apertures 32, the collars 58 are adapted to bedisposed in position partially about the groove 56, and between the head54 f the grommets and the surface of the mounting plate 20.

The assembly of the pick-up 14 is now considered to be readily apparentto those skilled in the art. The head 34 is disposed within the recess24 defined by the dome 22. The conductor 42 extends outwardly of thehead 14 through the medium of the groove 50 in the lip or ledge 48. Thegrommets or suction cups 52 are then inserted into and through theapertures 32, and the collars 58 disposed in the position hereinbeforedefined. The mounting plate 20 is now disposed in position in the coverplate 18. In this connection, it is noted that the peripheralconfiguration and dimensions of the mounting plate 20 substantiallycorresponds with the shape and dimensions defined by the lip or ledge48. The cover plate mounting apertures 30 in the plate 20 are nowdisposed in alignment with the apertures 26 in the plate 18. The plates18 and 20 may now be fixedly secured to one another in any suitablemanner, as through the medium of rivets 60, or the like. It is to benoted that the dimensions of the covers 58 preferably are chosen so thatthey will overlap and extend somewhat outwardly from the periphery orboundary of the mounting plate 20. In this manner, the mounting plate 20in effect must be snapped into position within the cover plate 18. Thisfeature, in conjunction with the fact that the plates 18 and 20 arefixedly secured to one another through the medium of, for example, therivets 60 insures a durable and long-lasting construction.

As pointed out above, the dimensions of the head 34 are significantparticularly in connection with the positional and dimensionalrelationship of the head 34 with respect to the housing defined by theplates 18 and 20.

More particularly, the height or depth of the bottom plate 38 of thehead 34 is chosen so that it will extend somewhat downwardly from thebottom surface of the mounting plate 20. This is important because, asis considered readily apparent, it is desirable that the head 34 bedisposed in juxtaposition with respect to the surface of the musicalinstrument with respect to which it is particularly adapted to beoperatively associated. Moreover, this dimension must be chosen to allowfor the front flexing of the grommets or suction cups as they arepositioned upon and secured to the surface of the musical instrument. Ifdesired, the height or depth of the bottom plate 38 may be chosen sothat after the detector or pick-up 14 is removably but fixedly securedto the surface of the musical instrument, a small space (not shown) willsubsist between that surface and the head 34. It has been found thatsuch a small space does not detract from the sound that is amplified byand emanates from the amplifier 16. To insure the correct positionalrelationship of the head 34 with respect to the housing defined by theplates 18 and 20, the periphery of the recess 24 may be defined by a lip62, and the periphery of the aperture 28 in the plate 20 defined by alip 64. As is considered readily apparent, this precludes lateraldisplacement of the head 34 relative to the housing defined by theplates 18 and 20. The height or depth of the lip 64 is preferablychosen, of course, to preclude interference or contact with the surfaceof the musical instrument 12. Preferably, this dimension of the lip 64is also chosen so that the bottom plate 38 will extend somewhatdownwardly therefrom for each and every one of the reasons hereinbeforepointed out.

The use and operation of sound amplifying apparatus constructed inaccordance with the principles of this invention, such as the apparatus10, is considered readily apparent in view of the foregoing. A simplemoistening of the grommets or suction cups 52 will enable a user toremovably but fixedly secure the sound detector or pickup head 14 to themusical instrument 12 at any suitable location. In the case of a guitar,which is illustrated in the drawings for exemplary purposes, thislocation will preferably be at the bridge 62 of the instrument. Theconductor 42 is particularly adapted to be connected to a plug-in jack64, which may be of any suitable and conventional construction.Preferably, the jack 64 is completely and integrally fabricated of aplastic material, and comprises a plurality of plastic prongs 64a and64b adapted to cooperate with a corresponding number of apertures in anoutlet 66 of the amplifier 16. It is considered readily apparent thatthe apertures in the outlet 66 are lined with metal inserts 66a and 66bin order to complete a circuit. The leads at the end of the conductor 42will thus be stripped to expose the electrically conductive material,are then inserted into and through the jack 64 so that the exposedelectrically conductive material 65a and 65b of the leads extendsthrough and outwardly of the prongs 65a and 65b. The exposed material isthen turned backwardly so that when the prongs are inserted into theapertures of the outlet 66, contact will be made with the linings of theapertures in the outlet. A circuit will thus be defined that is capableof being completed. Moreover, this insures that a construction that iseconomical of fabrication, comprises a minimal number of parts, and yetis durable and sturdy and capable of a long life will be presented.

The amplifier 16 may also be of any suitable and conventionalconstruction. If desired, the amplifier may comprise its own source ofenergy (not shown), as for example, one or more dry cells. The amplifier16 will, in addition, comprise a speaker system (not shown). The circuit(also not shown) is particularly adapted to be controlled by a suitableand conventional on-off volume control knob 68. It has been found thatbest results will be achieved if the conductor 42 enables the user toposition the amplifier 16 approximately five or six feet from theinstrument 12, and in that position is faced away from the user.

While the invention has been shown, illustrated, described and disclosedin terms of the embodiments or modifications it has assumed in practice,the scope of the invention should not be deemed to be limited by theprecise embodiments or modifications herein shown, illustrated,described or disclosed, such other embodiments or modifications intendedto be reserved especially as they fall within the scope of the claimshere appended.

What is claimed is:

1. Sound amplifying apparatus comprising, in combination, amplifyingstructure and an assembly for picking up and transmitting signals tosaid amplifying structure, said pick-up assembly comprising: a housingdefined by a cover plate and a mounting plate, said cover plate having adome defining a recess, and a plurality of apertures, said mountingplate having a plurality of cover plate mounting apertures adapted to bedisposed in alignment with the apertures in said cover plate, enablingsaid cover plate and mounting plate to be fixedly connected to oneanother; a pick-up head adapted to be disposed within the housingdefined by said cover and mounting plates, and comprising a top plateadapted to be received within the recess defined by the dome of saidcover plate, and a bottom plate adapted to be disposed within and extendthrough an aperture in said mounting plate; attaching elementscomprising suction cups having a head adapted to be received within andextend through apertures in said mounting plate, the head of saidsuction cups being of greater diameter than the apertures in saidmounting plate, and said suction cups being constructed and arranged toenable said head to be snap-fitted into and through the apertures insaid mounting plate; and a collar for removably and fixedly mountingsaid suction cups relative to said mounting plate.

2. Sound amplifying apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the bottomplate of said pick-up head is generally of cylindrical configuration,and the height or depth thereof is chosen to enable the bottom plate toextend somewhat downwardly from a bottom surface of the mounting plateof said housing, further enabling said bottom plate to be disposedsubstantially in juxtaposition with a surface of said signal producingdevice.

3. Sound amplifying apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the recessand the cover of said housing is defined by a peripheral lip, and theaperture in said mounting plate into which said pick-up head is adaptedto be disposed is defined by a peripheral lip, the diame'traldimensional extent of said lips being chosen to preclude lateraldisplacement of said pick-up head within the housing defined by saidcover and mounting plates.

4. Sound amplifying apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein a conductoris connected to said pick-up assembly, and comprises a plug-in jack atanother end thereof adapted to be removably disposed within an outlet ofsaid sound amplifying structure, said plug-in jack being of integralconstruction, and comprising a plurality of prongs into and throughwhich the leads at the other end of said conductor are particularlyadapted to extend, the lead at said other end being adapted to extendoutwardly of the prongsof said jack, and turned back upon themselves tomake contact with the outlet of said sound amplifying structure.

5. Sound amplifying apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein saidplug-in jack is integrally fabricated of a plastic material.

References Cited 1964. Front cover page and page 15.

KATHLEEN H. CLAFFY, Primary Examiner B. P. SMITH, Assistant Examiner US.01. X.R. 84-267; 179-146; 248206

